2018 Subaru Liberty pricing and features

By David Bonnici, 22 Feb 2018Car News

The Subaru Liberty has been refreshed for 2018 with a subtle facelift, enhanced infotainment, additional active safety tech and improvements to its 2.5-litre petrol/CVT powertrain.

The upgrade is similar to that received by the closely related Subaru Outback wagon and includes external tweaks such as newly designed front bumper, grille, headlights, alloy wheels, and wing mirrors.

Subaru Liberty 2.5 Premium

Inside, the 2018 Liberty reveals a redesigned centre dashboard panel with a 7.0-inch touchscreen, which grows to 8.0 inches in the Premium and 3.6R versions, and equipped withy Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring.

The cabin has a more premium look about it with high-gloss black surfaces, and stitching along the soft-touch dashboard leading to a newly designed steering wheel.

Safety has improved with all Liberty variants, which are now equipped with the third generation of Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist system, which adds lane keeping assist along with enhanced pedestrian avoidance and pre-collision braking assist.

The adaptive cruise control now recognises brakes lights and recognises vehicles from longer distances and wider angles, making it even safer on multilane roads or when vehicles cut across lanes, and also brings autonomous emergency braking (AEB).

Subaru Liberty 3.6R

Premium and 3.6R variants are also equipped with a new side-view parking monitor and steering responsive headlights with adaptive anti-glare high beams, which automatically dim if another vehicle appears.

Subaru’s engineers have tinkered with the Liberty’s 2.5-litre petrol variants’ suspension, CVT auto and engine components to yield what Subaru claims are greater handling, throttle response and efficiency, and reduced noise and vibration.

Entry-level pricing remains the same, while the more richly equipped Premium and 3.6R variants are up by about $400.